The Wind and the Rain
by sergioLuis
Summary: Warunya discovers supernatural events unveiling in her little town of Mae Song Hon, Thailand.


The heavy rains of the season are a challenge for Warunya Praewa as she walks at the footway of a small town in Mae Song Hon, Thailand. Even getting around is a challenge, for the once solid soil turns to mud on her every step. Warunya hopes the moonsoon would just go away as she wrestles for her umbrella with the wind. Warunya also hopes that the government put more effort in broadcasting the proper weather forecast in their area, the recent radio broadcast tells her otherwise as it preaches for the dangers of a hot sunny day. She ought to blame the radio personnel too, she thinks.

Warunya remembers the recent flash flood on Chiang mai, but then again thinks that Mae Song Hon's ground is a little elevated from the rest of Thailand. Warunya knows that flashflood wouldn't be her town's problem; landslides are more possible to happen. Warunya chills not from the wind blowing but from the thought of a calamity that could possibly happen.

Warunya steps slowly as she recovers her foot from the muddy pathway to Chanchai's hut. After more easy deliberate steps, she sees the telltale sign of the lamp in the hut and a figure running towards her. Chanchai catches her umbrella before it gets blown away by the wind.

"Please come inside Unya! She's having a hard time" Chanchai says as he closes the umbrella and almost carries Warunya inside. "Did you do what I said? The towels? the hot water with tea leaves? Are they ready?" Warunya says as she leaves her mudsoaked slippers on the door.

"Yes! Yes! Please come!" Chanchai says as he ushers Warunya in a room. Warunya scans the room and sees Boonsri on the bed. The tools that she asked Chanchai to prepare are already on the foot of the bed.

"Chanchai boil more water with tea leaves; sift the leaves and bring them here!" Warunya orders. She washes her hands and greets Boonsri.

"Unya thanks for coming." Boonsri heaves as she feels the painful contractions down there. Warunya holds Boonsri's hands.

"Okay dearie lets sit up and keep these legs-", she holds Boonsri's legs, "-wide apart." Warunya places a large towel on Boonsri's buttocks. Warunya checks for crowning and sees the baby's head at the opening. She dipped a finger on the metal bowl, feels the water's temperature, then gets a clean washcloth soakes it and folds it in half. Warunya then placed it on the space between Boonsri's sex and anus.

"Push in the warm cloth."

* * *

Chanchai couldn't help but worry as he hears his wife's labourous breath and grunts of effort. It's not like in the movies where a shrill scream could be heard followed by the wail of a child, he thought. Chanchai hears Unya's firm voice telling Boonsri to push more while the wind and rain laps at their hut. It's as if the wind and the rain are speaking with Unya, he thought. Chanchai made sure to thank Unya for her dependability.

Chanchai hears the whistle of the kettle, gets the sift, and pours the hot water with leaves through the sift and into the metal bowl. He then carries it inside the room and almost faints when he saw the blood as Unya points to where he should put the metal bowl. It's really not like in the movies, he thought. Chanchai replaces the bowl and heads out the room to boil more.

Chanchai fishes out a bloody washcloth from the bowl and empties the bloody water on the sink. He hears their front door slam in and slam out. He thought that they must have left it open at the urgency of the moment. Chanchai chooses to close the front door first before getting the whistling kettle out. He runs to save time but almost trips when he saw the odd stranger in his home. The little girl has the queerest looking eye and its looking at their room. The girl then mumbles something and falls to the ground. It gave him the spooks. Chanchai didn't dare go near it and when he hears the kettle's whistle, he remembers his wife, their child and his responsibility. He tends to them.

* * *

Warunya places the wailing baby boy by Boonsri's side. Boonsri radiates of so much joy that Warunya couldn't help but bask in it. Chanchai and Boonsri's first born child, she thought.

Warunya remembers how she helped Chanchai's mother give birth to him -and after two decades of practice- the overwhelming feeling of joy still surge on her. Warunya prepares the medical scissor, adjusts the clips on the baby's umbilical cord and waits for Chanchai to cut the cord. The young man arrives holding a hot bowl of water. He steps carefully as Boonsri says, "Our little boy." Chanchai embraces her and looks a little afraid of touching the baby. Warunya coaches him how to hold the baby, gives him the medical scissors and instructs him how to cut the cord. She then tends to the placenta and cleans Boonsri.

Warunya hears the wild noise of the door and says, "I'll get it." The couple were so wrapped in the moment that neither acknowledges what she says.

Warunya goes out the room and sighs as she notices the darkness of the living room. The wind blew the candles out and it also made the door loudly close and open. She makes her way to door and turns it screws to lock. Warunya then walks toward the candle and flicks a match. The candle bathes the room with its orange glow. Warunya then washes her hands at the sink, scrubs the stench of blood on her arms and washes her face. Her hair is still wet from the previous trek outside and the work she had done. Warunya feels she needs to change her clothes and heads towards Chanchai and Boonsri's room. As she walks something caught her eyes and it was not present when the lights were out. Something is slumped over the floor near the door. She sees a naked child with a very fair skin and very fair short hair.

Warunya walks towards it, thinking maybe the light's playing tricks on her. Warunya extends her hands to feel the pulse and there was none. Goosebumps rise on her body. Warunya holds the child's wrist again and instead of none she feels a pulse. Was she mistaken, she thought. Warunya further inspects the child and her heart sinks with pity as she notices the girl's gangly limbs and protruding bones. She scoops her up and uses Chanchai's curtains to warm the child. She hopes the child makes it. Warunya couldn't help but smile as the child opens up its eyes.


End file.
